In The Line of Fire
by GabrielaHP
Summary: Story is FINISHED! Amanda gets hurt on assignment, later some L/A
1. The Hit

  
In the Line of Fire  
Disclaimer: I so wish I owned these characters, but alas, I don't. They are property of Warner Bros. And Shoot the Moon Productions.  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Amanda gets hurt on an assignment, later some L/A....  
Feedback: Definitely, Please!!  
  
  
"Lee, I need you and Amanda to go out ASAP to get Rodriggen. He is holding an undercover operation. He is an agent for the government, but recent anonymous tips have led us to believe that he is selling important American secrets to the Asians." Billy Melrose was standing in his office with one of his best agents, Lee Stetson. They were as usual on another urgent case, and once again Billy was having Amanda go with Lee as a back up.  
"Billy, I really don't think that Amanda has the experience and expertise to cover this with me. It could get really dangerous and Amanda could lose her head and get hurt!" Lee tried to convince Billy. But Billy understood that Amanda was a very competent agent and she was ready for the job. He didn't understand Lee's constant hesitation at having Amanda accompany him on assignments.  
"C'mon, Billy, please. Amanda should stay here and do something safe and out of the way! She just isn't qualified enough to be doing top agents' work!!" Lee was practically pleading with Billy.  
"Scarecrow, it is time you wake up and smell the coffee. Amanda is a very competent agent, and as I recall she has come in handy to you a couple of times." Billy reminded Scarecrow. He didn't know whether Lee's hesitation was truly work related or whether it was something personal. Either way, he knew that Lee was just going to have to get used to having Amanda as a partner! "Now, Scarecrow, I know that you have a hard time accepting Amanda as your partner, but this is final....Amanda and you are in this together!!!" Billy held up a hand as Lee started to protest again. Lee sighed and headed for the door. Billy watched him cross through the office, heading over to his own office shared with Amanda.  
  
  
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@  
  
  
Amanda was sitting at her desk shuffling papers when Lee stormed in. She looked up as the door flew open and Lee stalked in. Her eyes went wide as she realized that he was angry. "I hope it isn't at me," she thought to herself. Lately Lee had been acting strangely. One minute he was nice and sweet and charming, and the next minute he was angry, almost boiling over the edge. Lee glanced over at Amanda, taking in her wide eyes intently eyeing him. He knew she was wondering why he stormed in there, but he didn't feel like talking to her at the moment. So he sat down and began his work, very aware of Mrs. King's presence in the room.  
  
  
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@  
  
  
"Well, that's it..I am done!" Amanda exclaimed after setting the last file in the filing cabinet. "You heading out pretty soon??" she questioned Lee who had been pretty quiet all day.  
"No, I have a few things I have to finish up here." Lee answered in a level tone. He thought to himself, " Hopefully Amanda can take a hint, and get outta here!"  
"Well, that's my cue to leave, I guess," Amanda thought to herself as she gathered her purse and sweater. "Goodbye Lee....Have a pleasant night."  
"Yeah, right," he thought after she had left. His whole afternoon had been very unproductive. He just couldn't seem to get Amanda out of his head. He kept thinking about her sweet smile, and how sensitive she was. But he shouldn't like Amanda that way!! She was just a housewife! Oh well....He just had to get over this, and get over these silly thoughts....  
  
  
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@  
  
The Next Day:  
Lee stood crouched behind the boxing crates. Amanda, his partner, was on the other side of the warehouse, also crouched behind some crates. He told her to stay in his eye line so if anything went wrong, he would know. Lee looked over and saw Rodriggen. He was standing over by the wall, looking around as though he was waiting for someone. Lee got his gun ready just in case. Suddenly another guy walked in whom Lee didn't recognize. He leaned over to get a good look so he could later identify him if necessary. Suddenly, Rodriggen looked straight up at Lee. He ripped his gun from his jacket and began shooting. The other man with him looked around in case there was another person hiding. His eyes rested on Amanda King......  
  
  
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@  
  
  
  
Busy shooting and ducking behind the crates, Lee didn't notice the other man taking aim at Amanda. He was too busy with his own battle. He kept shooting Rodriggen, and soon his bullet found the target...Rodriggen's chest.  
Lee looked up just in time to see the bullet fly through the air and see Amanda collapse behind the crates.....  
  
  



	2. Complications

  
  
Disclaimer: I so wished I owned these characters, but alas, I don't. They are property of Warner Bros. And Shoot the Moon Productions.  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Amanda gets hurt on Assignment, later some L/A   
  
  
Lee looked up just in time to see Amanda collapse behind the crates. His face was one of shock, but quickly morphed into an intense, angry look. He pointed his gun toward the second guy, and began firing. Before long, his bullet again hit it's mark, and the guy fell down dead on the floor. After taking out that guy, he turned his attention to Amanda. He crossed the warehouse quickly over to where Amanda lie unconscious.  
  
"Amanda...Amanda..." Lee whispered gently as he stroked Amanda's cheek, trying to stir her. Realizing that she was totally out, he gently lifted her into his arms. He quickly strode out of the warehouse and to his car, putting Amanda gently down in the backseat. He whipped off his coat, and carefully put it behind her head. For the first time he saw how badly she was bleeding from her leg. "Thank God," he thought relieved to himself. It was only a leg wound, nothing that would permanently damage something really serious.   
  
  
Lee sped down the highway on his way to the hospital. He found himself getting off on the shoulder of the road, he kept looking back at Amanda so often.   
  
As they approached the hospital, Lee started talking to Amanda even though she showed no signs of recognition. "It's okay Amanda. We're almost there. Just a little bit longer. Hang in there." He said trying to sound reassuring.  
  
  
He pulled up to the hospital's emergency room entrance, scooped Amanda up in his arms, and strode into the ER. He rushed up to a doctor, and explained what her injuries were. The doctor looked confused that this apparent housewife had gotten shot, but he had Lee follow into one of the rooms down one of the many corridors.  
  
He set Amanda down on the sterile white hospital bed, and stood over in the corner while the doctor examined the wound. He was so nervous. What if the doctors found something wrong with her. What if shrapnel had spread throughout her leg....What if infection had set in...what if....  
  
Suddenly the doctor spoke up, pulling Lee from his nervous thoughts. "Some bullet fragments have also lodged in her side. There may have been a few things that have led to this. Such as maybe more than one bullet was fired, or maybe a bullet ricocheted and some just happen to fly in her direction. Whatever the case, it doesn't really matter, but we need to get that shrapnel out before it lodges farther and farther into side, and infection sets in. The bullet in the leg should be easy enough to get out, but I am more worried about those bullet fragments in her side." The doctor concluded his report on Amanda's wounds.   
  
  
Lee's face fell. He couldn't believe that all this had happened on one simple assignment. He should have known not to let her come on this. Thinking about the assignment, he realized he had to call Billy let him know about Amanda. He looked around for a pay phone, found one, and quickly dialed Billy.   
  
  
"Yeah, Billy. It's me..Scarecrow. Listen I'm at the hospital. Yeah...yeah... I am fine, but I'm afraid I have some bad new about Amanda. Well, she did get shot on the assignment. I brought her here thinking it was just a shot in the leg. Well, I got here, and they found some bullet fragments lodged in her side. Yeah, she is being operated on right now.... No, no, I am sure I am fine. I got the guy that shot her and Rodriggen. All right, Billy, I will see ya in a little bit. Bye." Lee finished up his long explanation to Billy, and quickly got off the phone to see if there was any news on Amanda.  
  
  
He approached the nurses desk, wanting to get information on Amanda. The nurses were standing around chatting. "Excuse me, Ladies, but I would like to know how Amanda King is doing." He interrupted their "important" conversation. One of the nurses spoke up and said, "She is still surgery, sir. But you are welcome to have a seat in the waiting room."   
  
  
But Lee didn't want to have a seat in the waiting room. Instead he paced the floor, practically wearing a path in the carpet. He finally sat down, but his leg kept bouncing up and down. Patience was one virtue he just didn't have. He finally got up again, and began pacing.   
  
"Scarecrow, you're going to wear that carpet down to nothing if you don't stop pacing back and forth!" Lee heard a familiar voice call out to him through the waiting room. Billy walked up to him and put his hand on Lee's shoulder, forcing him to stop. "Lee, how is Amanda? Have you heard any more??" Billy questioned.  
  
"No, there isn't any news yet," Lee sighed. Billy's face dropped. "Well, I guess we are just going to have to wait patiently until we receive word on Amanda." Billy said calmly for Lee's sake.   
  
Suddenly, the doctor Lee had talked to earlier stepped out of the double doors, and looked around the waiting room. Lee dashed forward, intently looking at the doctor's face. "What, is everything okay...Is Amanda okay?" Lee questioned instantly.  
  
"Well...." The doctor started slowly, " I am afraid I have some bad news....."  
  
  
  
  



	3. Surgery

  
Surgery  
Disclaimer: I so wish I owned these characters, but alas, I don't. They are property of Warner Bros. And Shoot the Moon Productions.  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Amanda gets hurt on an assignment, and Lee discovers a few things  
Feedback: Definitely Please!!  
  
  
"I am afraid I have some bad news regarding Amanda," the doctor slowly said trying to find the right way to tell them what was wrong. "Although the main gunshot wound was to her mid thigh, some bullet fragments have lodged themselves into her side. We did x-rays to estimate the damage done by the bullet fragments, and we have found that they are moving closer to her spinal cord. Now---" the doctor was cut off by Lee.  
  
  
"What do you mean near her spinal cord? I thought you said the bullets lodged into her side, not her back!" Lee shouted at the doctor. He couldn't understand how something like this could happen to Amanda.  
  
"The bullet fragments lodged into her lower side around the back. They didn't drive right into the middle of her side...it was more near her lower back." The doctor explains.  
  
Billy looked over to Lee, and decided to bite the bullet and ask the doctor the question that had been running in his and Lee's minds. "Doc, how is this going to be solved? What do you have to do to remove those fragments?"   
  
"Well, we need to have an operation. We want to get going as soon as possible, so if that's okay with you, I am going to wheel her into surgery." The doctor began to turn away, but before he could start walking Lee spoke up.  
  
"Hey, do you think I could see Amanda real quick before she goes in?" Lee questioned hopefully.  
  
"Well....." the doctor thought about it. " I guess you could, but it has to be really quick. We need to get her in and get those fragments out. She isn't conscious right now, but you can go ahead. She is behind that curtain." He pointed to one of the many thin curtains separating the beds. Lee walked quietly over to it, and slowly peeked around the edge. There she was. Just lying there. Not talking, not smiling, not laughing. Lee walked up around the side of her bed.   
  
"Amanda...Amanda. I don't know if you can hear me, but you have to make it through this. Do you hear me Amanda King?? You have to make it through this surgery. I have something I need to tell you and you need to hear it. So you get back to me after this surgery, and I will tell you, okay?" Suddenly the curtain was pushed open and the doctor stood there waiting.  
  
"I am sorry, but we have to take Amanda to surgery. You can talk to her again when she is out."  
  
Lee looked down at Amanda's blank face and whispered, "Come back to me, Amanda, come back. I can't lose you." And with that sentence the doctor and a nurse took hold of Amanda's bed and wheeled her away down the hall to surgery.  
  
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@  
  
For hours Lee and Billy eagerly awaited news of Amanda's condition and how surgery was going. Lee couldn't stop worrying about Amanda. He also couldn't help feeling bad about the way he had been treating her. How could I treat her like that?? All she was was nice and sweet, and what did I do? I ignored her, ignored her feelings. Acted like she was nothing. Lee couldn't help thinking to himself in the idle hours of waiting.   
  
Billy noticed the pained look on Lee's face and knew what he was thinking. "Lee, this isn't your fault. If anything-" Billy was cut off by Lee.  
  
"Billy, I don't want to hear it. The only reason Amanda is in here now is because I didn't do my job. I knew she was a trainee, and I should've watched out for her! She was in my care, and I let her down! I failed her Billy!" Lee practically shouted at Billy.  
  
" Now, Scarecrow, you need to calm down. I know I can't change your mind about what happened, but I am going to say on thing! It wasn't your fault!" Billy stated emphatically as Lee just looked at him blankly. Lee turned around to sit down, but Billy saw the same hurt expression on his face that had been there when he arrived at the hospital.  
  
Just as Lee sat down, the doctor came out. Lee instantly stood up and went over. Before he could even ask, the doctor said, "Don't worry, Amanda came out of surgery perfectly, and is resting now in her room. We have given her something so she won't feel pain, and so she won't upset the stitches in her side. She did great during surgery and as long as there are no complications she should be up and going pretty soon. But let me explain something first. In Amanda's condit-" The doctor was once again interrupted by Lee.  
  
"Wait, I have to see Amanda. I have something very important to tell her!! Please let me see her......I have to do it now!!" Lee said in a rush. He had to see Amanda, he just had to.   
  
The doctor saw this and granted Lee the one wish he wanted more than anything. "Okay, her room in 209, but I will warn you...you can't upset her or get her excited...understand?"  
  
Lee nodded and quickly went over to the elevators. Deciding he couldn't wait to get to Amanda he opened the door to the stairs and leaped up them. He slowed when he saw room 209. Quietly he opened the door. Hearing footsteps, Amanda lifted her head to see Lee looking at her intently.  
  
"Lee!" Amanda exclaimed..................  
  
  
TBC: Will Amanda blame Lee for her injury, or will she forgive him?? Don't' assume anything...You may be in for a surprise!!  



	4. The Almost Confession

The Almost Confession  
Disclaimer: I so wish I owned these characters, but alas, I don't. They are property of Warner Bros. And Shoot the Moon Productions  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Amanda and Lee talk things out....  
Feedback: Definitely please!!  
  
  
  
  
"Lee!" Amanda exclaimed as he quietly walked into her room....  
  
  
"Hi Amanda," Lee replied tentatively, wondering how Amanda was feeling... What am I supposed to say?? "Uh...sorry for you getting shot...sorry for not protecting you...sorry for not being there? --- Oh yeah...that would go over well...  
  
  
He decided to just bite the bullet. "Listen, Amanda....you have no idea what these past few hours have been like for me....wondering if you were going to be okay....thinking about the past few months you have been working at the agency, how close we've been working these past couple months....and I just want to say that I don't think I would be able to take it if you ever left my life." Lee paused for a moment.  
  
  
Taking her window of opportunity, Amanda began talking. "Lee, I was so scared when they were going to take me to surgery.... I know they gave me drugs and things, but I could still feel what was going on around me, and I was so scared---" Amanda's voice broke as one tear crawled down her face.   
  
  
Lee couldn't bear to see Amanda cry. He had enough trouble resisting the urge to hold and cuddle her on a daily basis, and he couldn't take the many tears now beginning to form in her eyes and make their way down her cheek. He turned his back.  
  
  
Seeing Lee turn his back on her tears just made Amanda cry harder. I should have known that me crying would just make Lee angry. If I had just not come along on the assignment Lee wouldn't even have to be here right now. Then he wouldn't be upset with me.  
  
  
Hearing Amanda sobbing harder, Lee couldn't resist anymore. He strode across the room, went over to Amanda and embraced her in his arms. "SShhh....Amanda, it's okay....Do you remember before going into surgery, I told you I had something very important that I needed to tell you?" Amanda nodded. "Well....what I have to say is that I-" Lee was cut off by the doctor who came into the room.  
  
  
"Mr. Stetson, I think Amanda has had too much excitement for one day....I think that it is time she got some sleep." The doctor gestured to the door for Lee to leave.  
  
"But, doctor, Lee was just going to---" Amanda was cut off by Lee.  
  
"Amanda, it's okay, what I have to tell you can wait a day.....We have all the time in the world," Lee added softly gazing into Amanda's eyes.  
  
More to come!!! Should just have one more chapter left!!!  



	5. the Total Confession

The Total Confession  
  
Disclaimer: I so wish I owned these characters, but alas, I don't. They are the   
Property of Warner Bros. And Shoot the Moon Productions.  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Amanda is still in the hospital, and Lee has something important to tell her.  
Feedback: Definitely please!!  
  
  
  
The Next Day, Lee was racing toward the hospital. "Whoa, slow down Scarecrow, Amanda will be there whether you go fast or not." Lee thought to himself. He was just so anxious and nervous to get to Amanda's room. He was so ready to tell her how he felt last night, but when the doctor had come in, his opportunity had passed. But like he told Amanda last night; they had all the time in the world!   
  
  
  
He came to a sudden halt under the canopy of the hospital entrance. He leapt out of his car and could barely contain the urge to run into the hospital and up the stairs. With an air of calmness, he waited not so patiently for the elevator to take him up to Amanda's room. Finally the doors opened and Lee stepped inside.   
  
  
When it reached the 4th floor, Lee quickly stepped off and turned to his left. Amanda's room was only a few feet away now, and Lee couldn't believe how fast and hard his heart was pounding! Before reaching Amanda's door, Lee stopped for a moment and prepared to enter Amanda's room.  
  
  
He turned an entered her room. He stopped dead in his tracks. Amanda was lying on the bed, sound asleep. The blinds were opened and little slots of sunlight were illuminating her face. Lee's heart caught in his throat as he quietly stepped forward.   
  
  
Amanda's eyes opened suddenly, swept around the room, and closed again. A second later, they flew back open and landed on Lee. Lee held his breath wondering what she was going to say. Both of them didn't move for a few seconds.  
  
  
Amanda's head was in a whirl. She couldn't believe that Lee had actually come to see her! A million thoughts were running through her head as Lee approached her bedside very slowly. His eyes never left her. He suddenly felt a stronger feeling. He was no longer worried about what to say.   
  
  
Lee sat down calmly on the side of Amanda's bed and rested his hand on the other side of her legs so that he was halfway leaning over her. He kept looking at Amanda. She shifted in her bed and that seemed to bring them both to life.   
  
"Lee, I am so---"   
  
  
" Amanda, I have someth---"  
  
  
They both began talking and suddenly stopped. They looked at each other embarrassed. They were both quiet for a few minutes, but then Lee decided that he had to say what he came to say.  
  
  
"Amanda, remember yesterday? After you got done with your surgery? I had something I was going to tell you before that doctor walked in, but I never got the chance." Lee began.   
  
  
Amanda nodded her head in recognition that she did remember. In fact, it was driving her nuts thinking about last night. She couldn't stop thinking about Lee and what he was going to say. Everytime she had waken up during the night, she found that she was thinking about Lee. Amanda suddenly looked up, aware that Lee was staring at her. She realized that she had been sitting staring at the floor off in her own world thinking for a few minutes now.  
  
  
"Sorry." Amanda said quietly.  
  
  
"Amanda, you don't have to apologize. This past day must have been difficult for you." Lee said.  
  
  
"Yeah, I guess it has. But from what you told me yesterday, it has been hard on you too." Amanda said thoughtfully. She was hoping to get Lee thinking about what he said yesterday.   
  
  
"About yesterday Amanda.... I was so scared when I saw you do down behind those crates. And then at the hospital....I have never felt like that. I thought I was going to lose you, and I realized I would never be able to survive if you ever left my life!"   
  
  
Amanda sat quietly. Lee wanted to gauge her reaction and see how she felt about what he was saying. Her hair was covering her face, so Lee gently lifted her chin and moved her hair behind her ears. Amanda lifted her eyes to meet Lee's. The look in her eyes was enough to make Lee confess totally how he felt about Amanda. "Amanda, you are the most beautiful person I have met. Inside and out. I am sorry I took so long, but Amanda I love you. I have loved you since the day I met you.'' Lee confessed everything.   
  
  
Amanda looked up with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Lee. I have loved you since then too!"   
  
  
Lee didn't know what to say, so he just embraced Amanda close to his body.   
Amanda's body shook with her sobbing. Lee leaned back and began kissing every tear that ran down her cheeks. Amanda smiled through her tears and began kissing Lee. They were like for some time until the doctor walked in with a grin on his face. "Well, Mrs. King, I would have to give my diagnosis that you are in love."   
  
  
Lee and Amanda just looked at each other with love written in their eyes.  
  
  
Author's Note: I am not sure whether to do a separate story that continues on from here, but isn't actually a part of this one.... What do you think? Maybe a story that has like their dating and possibly their marriage? Or should I do another story that doesn't connect?   
  
  



End file.
